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MTG’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to hit the general market in the coming days, however after early access events recently, one cheap green card experienced a surge in price.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub drew a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness requiring one green and one colorless mana, it includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the best among the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage with this card comes from an additional effect: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, add an additional green mana.

Initially, the card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, yet, the market price escalated to nearly $50 including listings for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing such high costs for this cute lil guy? Mainly because of the incredible mana acceleration it can produce.

As it hits the battlefield, Badgermole Cub transforms a land into a creature granting it earthbend. Combined with its other power, while it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — along with other creatures in your control that produce resources.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces G mana. However there are plenty of creatures that make mana available. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value in comparison.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get an enormous high-cost monster on the board within a few turns. Momentum builds out of control if you keep the pressure on after that.

When adding another color in this strategy, examples including versatile mana producers are all great options that generate any mana color. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature enables playing one extra land every round AND turns all of your lands so they count as all basics. Another possibility is something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana provides all of your permanents the power to produce a mana of any type — which covers each creature in play.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered regarding ramping up your mana generation, yet what closes out the game with this archetype? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness are set by how many lands you have, plus it turns each creature you own Forests as well as other subtypes. In other words, every single creature on your board may generate two green mana by tapping.

This additional option is a costly, large threat that benefits from lots of lands (as with the previous card, P/T are equal to your land total).

Nissa is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities makes all Forests generate an additional green mana. (If you have the cub, that means each one yield three G.) One loyalty ability is essentially an early earthbend, placing counters on a land, handy though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her ultimate, however, makes your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests in your deck. Once you trigger that ability, this typically means you win.

The cub is nearly mandatory in any green-based Avatar strategies that use the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red-green, you can use this legendary card. It possesses earthbend 4, and when it hits a player to an opponent, all land creatures are ready again for another attack. Although this card has become a popular Commander choice, the cub is definitely going to remain among the top, possibly the desired card in the Avatar set.